We’re Exhausted, Accomplished, and Still Feel Behind - Here’s Why
My favorite way to rest: in the mountains with my family
“When worthiness is a prerequisite for belonging, joy becomes something we have to work for rather than something we can experience.” - Brené Brown
This week, I talked about this exact topic on a podcast interview - how easy it is for entrepreneurs (myself included) to equate worth with productivity. It’s one of those sneaky beliefs that can feel like drive but often leads to exhaustion.
When you’re building something from the ground up, it’s easy to believe your output equals your value. I used to think being the first one online and the last one off made me a better leader. I thought my team would take me more seriously if they saw me constantly working.
But here’s what really happened: I hit a wall I couldn’t push through.
The Trap of Productivity-Based Worth
If you’ve ever closed your laptop at the end of the day and immediately thought about everything you didn’t finish, you’re not alone.
When your worth is tied to productivity, rest feels like guilt. Play feels like a waste of time. And even when you achieve the things you thought would make you happy, it never feels like enough.
At Alpine Virtual, I see this all the time with clients - entrepreneurs who started their businesses for freedom, only to end up working 80-hour weeks.
That’s the paradox: the pursuit of freedom can turn into a different kind of cage if you’re not careful.
What I Learned (the Hard Way)
I had to learn that being busy isn’t the same as being impactful. True productivity isn’t about doing more - it’s about doing what matters. It’s about doing what’s important more than whats urgent.
Now, my “work” includes things that recharge me:
Going on a daily 3-mile walk on the Colorado trails
Baking cookies with my boys
Painting or writing in the quiet hours before work
Play isn’t an interruption to productivity - it’s the foundation of it. When you allow space to rest, you actually get your best ideas. You lead better. You live better.
As Brené Brown says, “It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.”
How Entrepreneurs Can Redefine Success
If you’ve been equating your worth with your output, here are a few practical ways to start shifting that mindset:
1. Track your energy, not just your time.
Notice when you feel most alive - those moments are clues to what you actually value. Align your schedule to include more of that.
2. Define success in sentences, not numbers.
Sure, goals matter. But what does success feel like? Maybe it’s “I finish work by 4:00 and still have energy for my family.” Write it down.
3. Start small with rest.
Start with thirty minutes. Go for a walk. Read something that isn’t about business. The world won’t fall apart, and you’ll come back clearer.
4. Delegate the busywork.
You can’t heal from overwork while staying buried in it. If you’re still scheduling meetings, managing emails, or chasing invoices, it’s time to hand that off. Hire a virtual assistant and free your mental bandwidth for the work only you can do.
The Ripple Effect
Our 2025 Alpine Virtual Halloween Party
When I stopped celebrating exhaustion and started modeling rest, my company began to change. My team followed, and our culture shifted from hustle to health. We still work hard, but we work smart.
We also make time for connection - not because it’s productive, but because it’s human. This week, we hosted an Alpine Virtual Halloween party with no agenda and no hidden training goals. We didn’t talk about metrics or clients. We laughed through a silly scavenger hunt, Halloween trivia, and snack unboxing.
It wasn’t about optimizing time. It was about sharing time.
In a world that’s increasingly isolated, that felt like real success.
Our worth isn’t measured by our working hours. And the same is true for you. You are not the number of boxes you check. You are not the amount of leads coming in. You are not your revenue goals. You are the person leading something meaningful - and that matters far more than how “productive” you look doing it.
Ready to Build a Business That Supports Your Life?
If you’re tired of feeling like your worth depends on your output, it might be time to stop doing it all yourself. A virtual assistant can help you reclaim your time, protect your peace, and refocus on what really matters. Hire a virtual assistant and start building a business that gives you your life back.
